La Mortelle et le Vampire
by RubySlippers7
Summary: Tragedy has always followed level headed Amber Waters. Then one night she meets a one Lestat de Lioncourt, a vampire whom before that night she knew only to be fictional. Rewrite of the vampire chronicles.
1. Chapter 1

I'm the mortal, Amber. I do love the irony in that line. I'm fairly tall for a girl, I'm about 5'8 or 9 I haven't been measured in a while. I have green eyes , that are framed with very long and thick eye lashes, my eyebrows are also very thick, and it is such an effort to keep the under control. I'm very pale, I have the completion of a vampire who has just fed, or so I've been told . My face is very round, giving me an eternally innocent and youthful look, and I hate my round face. My lips are shaped almost perfectly, but are far from being full in fact they are almost thin, and they are quite small, as from my nose, my mother always called it a button nose its small and round and "cute". As for my hair, to quote Lestat, it "cascades" over my shoulders almost to my waist like, " rivers of ebony silk." That's far more poetic than I could ever write on my own.

This is my tale to tell, or at least that's what Lestat said. Mine is not a story that is very long, I have been a live for 19 years almost 20, but my life has only gotten interesting within the past seven months. So in theory my story should be able to be told in what 100 pages at most? But then Louis story was told in paperback in only 342 pages, and he lived for over two hundred years, but then I am one of those long winded people who talks to hear myself talk. Just like Lestat, his story covered about the 20 or so years before he met Louis, his story in paperback was over five hundred pages, he very much likes to hear his own voice, but then it is a very lovely voice to listen to. Now I just made myself sound like one of those millions of school girls who are throwing themselves at him, but I have to make this fact very clear, he is the one who came to me, that part at least of Lestat's tale is true. Oh yes I am quite skeptical of how things went during his time with Louis and Claudia, but, do I believe that he hunted almost exclusively among evil doers, I think that is a falsehood, but at this point in my life I have yet to meet Louis or any other vampire for that matter, thus I am unable to make any judgments about his honesty . Ahh but there I go again, I tend to go off on tangents so easily. Lestat just gave me that look he always gives me when he known's I'm being facetious, but I'm rather used to this look as I'm facetious, most of the time. Yes I'm sitting here with my lap top in the living room, of The Vampire Lestat's compound, with the vampire Lestat sitting in his favorite chair pretending to read a magazine article about him and the band, but he is really just staring at me, trying ever so hard to read my thoughts, so I'll give him my wicked smile that says 'I know what your up to, you can't read my thought we already covered this,' and then I bit my lip and look back down at my lap top. He just shook his head, and I know that he's thinking that I'm bit too much like him for my own good. Now perhaps I should begin my story. Now gentle reader, I must warn you of my sarcasm, for this is my life and I am sometimes over critical of it and more bitter than most people my age, but I shall begin.


	2. Chapter 2

I was born, on May 20th nothing particularly special happened on this day it very rarely does. However two months to the day my grandfather passed away. My mother told me of how when I was a baby she and my grandmother would leave me in the parlor while they fixed lunch and they would hear me cooing and giggling, in my bassinet, and when they would walk in I would be staring up as if I were watching someone. Never in my memory have I seen a ghost, however, sometimes I think that I have a memory of being in that bassinet and being visited by my grandfather, who knows if this memory is real or manufactured by my own mind either way it's a comforting thought.

From the very beginning I love my grandmother the most of anything in this world. As a child I would spend weeks upon end with her. I loved her more that I loved my mother, and the saddest thing of that is my mother knew it. Then at some point I started dancing ballet, from much encouragement from my mother and grandmother.

Something you should know, is my conception was an accident, though my mother to this day thinks that I cannot count back nine months, I was conceived in August and my mother and father were married in October. There is an almost twenty year difference in my parents ages, my mother was 38 when she gave birth to me. And my father was 75 when he died, but that's jumping ahead in my tale, I just wanted you to know somewhat how old my parents were. My mother quite her job as a vet when she got pregnant with me, so I had my mother home to raise me until I was 15 then she began working with the mentally handicapped. As she could no longer handle the physical labor that was required to treat her favorite patients, horses. But there I go again jumping ahead in my tale.

I soon became quite good at ballet, despite the fact the my right foot had a tendency to turn in instead of out. I was soon my instructor's star pupil, she even promised me that as soon as I was old enough she was going to let me start dancing toe ballet, something I was truly excited to do. At the age of seven I got my first solo in the recital. I was my instructor's '_petite prima ballerina'. _

But at this age I have few good memories of my father. In all actuality I have so few good memories of him I could count them on one hand. No my father never laid a hand on me when I didn't deserve it; you see I was a very precocious child and always had a mind of my own, and that tended to get me in trouble, both of my parents believed in spanking their children, however I must been a slow learner and never cared enough to stop after I had been spanked.

Then when I was only eight, my grandmother became very ill. We soon found out that she had cancer. What kind I do not know to this day, as I was so young, and its not a topic that my mother and I care to discuss. I watched my beloved grandmother, go from a vivacious woman to a feeble and withered shell of her former self. I watched her lose her hair from the chemo. I watched the woman I loved die before my eyes. I saw things that no eight year old should ever see. I remember very clearly the day that she died, we were in the hospital, she didn't know who anyone else was except for me, I was the one she kept begging for, so I sat with her holding her hand, for all those long hours, making pleas and deals with god so I could keep her, but what could and eight year old offer god? 'I'll be good for mommy I promise if you let her stay,' 'I'll stop being such a spoiled brat,' 'I won't eat potato chips and ice cream again, , god please let me keep her!' 'I'll give up my favorite toy!" But in all honesty she was in pain and every plea I made was a selfish one. And then at 3:30 in the afternoon, I had to pee. I carried with my teddy bear , who has been through out my life a constant companion who unlike anyone else caught all of my tears and has always been a shoulder to cry on. When I came out of the bathroom, my mother was no where to be found, and my beloved great aunt, Aunt Grammy, told me to come and sit on her lap. Of course being the child I was I protested and said that my "Memaw" needed me. I was never a stupid child, so when I heard my great aunt Marthy, ask aunt Grammy, " Should we tell her?" I know what it was about. But even then being the person I was and the person I was bound to be I ignored it. And that is my greatest flaw even to this day, that I ignore my problems instead of meeting them head on. And true this used to work, they normally did go away, but as I have gotten older my much more adult problems don't go away, but I digress. A few moments later my mother walked out of the room, I don't know what she said, but she told me that Memaw had died, I only remember what I did next, I threw myself on the floor, screaming and kicking screaming, "No! No! You lie!" I threw my ultimate tantrum that day. The kind you expect to see a three year old having in the toy isle of Wal-mart. The only way I made it through her death was by telling myself I will see her again in heaven, and convinced my self that it would even be soon.

From that point on it was my mother and me against the world, we became so much closer. Until the January day only a few months after I lost my Memaw we found out mom had Lung cancer. How my mom survived we don't know. She was lucky beyond belief, hardly anyone survives lung cancer.

When I was twelve I preformed my first toe ballet dance in the recital I was the youngest she had ever thought it to, I was never more proud of my self. Then the summer before, seventh grade my friends and I were playing soccer in their yard. Justin kicked the ball and it went into the road, we had been practicing for soccer tryouts, I was trying out for goalie, and I missed the ball, being that brat I was I told him he kicked it he needed to go get it, I saw it happen every last tragic second of it, I saw the car hit him, I heard the sickening thud I saw him roll up on the hood and then fall to the ground again only to be caught by the front right tire. That was the first person I actually saw die.

But life must go on, and the time I was 14 I was little miss wonder child. I was the starting varsity goalie but that might have had something to do with there was no upper class goalies, Ophelia in the drama clubs production of Hamlet, and I had a solo and two group dances in the recital and I was helping teach some of the younger dancers. I was the lead scorer on the Quiz team and I had most importantly Hanna ,Beth , Shelly , Emily and Nate. Nate was my boyfriend, of course. When I met him I didn't believe in love, and he sat out to disprove me. But I did love him, and he loved me. I know he did. Nate loved me I never question that, and I know I never will. Its this one of those things, that is a constant, I will always have had that one special love with Nate, and no one can take that away. The memories are fond and often a little bitter sweet, but our time has passed, and I have found a new love, Lestat.

The first two years in high school, I was blessed. I suppose I have this thing that if I start something I must be the best at it, and thus my drive to perfection, it was almost unhealthy. If I wasn't good at something I quit, it wasn't worth my time. I was used to things coming to me easily. I was a lazy child that way I suppose. Another reason for all of my accomplishments in my activities could very well be because, as long as I was concentrating on being the best, I wasn't thinking about all the death I had bore witness to.

Then Junior year happened, I lost all of my friends save Emily because I spent all of my time with Nate, I found out my mother had breast cancer, I then watched her lose her hair and wither. It was the worst right after the chemo treatments, when I had to take care of her, something someone my age should never have had to do its really something that no one should ever have to do. But I watched her fight unlike my grandmother. I watched my mother conquer cancer twice. Every ounce of stretch I have I get from her. However my stubborn streak comes from both my mother and father and the fact that I am a Taurus. One night after a particularly hard dance practice I sat unlacing my slippers and a girl a little younger than me sat down next to me to unlace her slippers, ' So,' she began, ' Why are you still dancing?' I looked at her strangely, ' I mean you have to know that you're a little too… well heavy to make it in a real company I mean Madam Roussos said something about it earlier, I thought you knew.' I stood a walked away. I didn't know what to say or think, I has always assumed I would audition for a big company after having danced in college, but I gave up that dream in that moment. Oh I continued to dance but my heart was no longer in it the way it had once been. I'm sorry that I had endowments that most dancers would never have, hell my breasts were endowments that a lot of girls would never know. I took after my grandmother that way, being big chested. Another tangent I digress , I lost my position as starting goalie just because the new soccer coach hated me, I didn't even letter my Junior year. Then I lost Nate, he had promised me forever, I didn't know that forever was so short. But I suppose it was my own fault, I had turned in to , 'a jealous mega bitch that didn't put out.' He broke my heart and I sank in to a deep depression. I began drinking, and smoking pot, and snorting pills. In that short span of a year I felt as if I had lost everything. Ahh but that stopped and slowed down once senior year started. Things seemed to be going alright for me. I had Emily my best friend and we had our own adventures since no one else would talk to us. But as my senior soccer season wore on I slowly started to reconcile with Hanna and Shelly , as they both were on the soccer team.

Then on our senior night soccer game tragedy again walked in to my life as it always seems to. We were up 3 to nothing in 26 minutes into the second half of the game, the girl on the other team she had a fast break, right down the middle, how she got it I don't know, we had an amazing midfield like. I ready myself, as soon as she hit the top of the box that bitch was mine. But then Shelly was on her heels, she was going to slide tackle her give them a direct kick but as she slid another girl from the other team was right behind her. I honestly blinked and missed it, but I swear heard the nasty snap. Shelly didn't move, and I was running to her side, I knew in an instant that there was no life left in her eyes. The two girls were screaming. I was stunned, I didn't hear the girls screaming really, the world was spinning. I felt the insistent coach lift me off my knees . Never had anyone heard of someone dying during a high school girls soccer game of a broken neck. Of course they sent me to the school councilor, but how was talking about it going to change anything? My former best friend was dead and there wasn't anything anyone could say to make me feel any better. For some reason I blamed myself, I didn't know why but I felt as if I brought death to everyone around me . But I did the best to put it behind me . I had to channel it in to something else like I always had and that was my acting I had the lead in the drama club production .

Then Graduation came, how excited Emily and I were. We had spent all day getting ready. She was beautiful in her pink satin gown her long blond hair perfectly quaffed. Me my long black hair curled my white pearls around my pale neck. Dressed in ourbluesilk robes, the white rose on our lapels, we tossed out hats in celebration of accomplishments of the last four years.

There was a party that night. Somehow I snagged an invite, I was never most popular girl in school, but then most of the senior class had been invited. We were in the parking lot of the high school when Jake the blond haired quarter back offered, Jason, Emily's boyfriend, and both of us a shot. He then pulled from underneath his robe a bottle of Jack. To say the least we all took more than a shot. When we left the parking lot we all had a good buzz. I don't know what happened I don't remember anything after pulling out of the parking lot. But I came to in a great deal of pain on a deserted road night falling quickly. I don't know how long it took me to realize that Emily and Jason weren't in the care anymore and the windshield was broken. Jason had been thrown from the car he was already cold when I got to him. That left Emily. I found her she was still alive but only just. I held my best friend as she died. I don't know when but Nate and his friend showed up, Nate held me until the ambulance got there, and he held me on the way to the hospital. He whispered sweet things in my ear meant to make me feel better, but I said nothing. He kissed me good bye, before he left the hospital and that was the last time I ever saw him.

That fall I went to University, hoping to forget everything , I was a history major, forgetting everything, from ballet to Emily. I quickly made to friends Lindsey and Matt. They were childhood neighbors, and only friends Lindsey assured me when she found out I had a crush on him. Lindsey and I soon became inseparable. I had never known a friend like her. She like me had a loyalty complex. She was photography major. And By winter quarter you never saw one of us without the other. I love Lindsey as I had loved Shelly and Emily, I even fear that she might meet the same fate as them. I know I should have told her about the deaths, but I felt for the first time in a very long time alive and happy. I had friends and I could be myself again not the persona I had created at school to hide the pain Nate had caused. I felt alive again. I was learning, I loved my classes History, Latin, French, Biology and English. I loved my French Medieval History class, and this was the class where Lindsey and I became such close friends.

Then in November, my father died. Like I said before my I never had fond memories of my father. Maybe, I just stopped trying when a week after my mother got out of the hospital having part of her lung removed he hit her in the parking lot of the pharmacy. Or the Christmas eve that he over turned the kitchen table on her. I didn't go to my father's funeral, I had class.

I knew that since sometime in January someone had been following me. I even felt them there when we were lost in the woods, how, whoever or whatever it was kept up with us, and managed not to be seen the entire three hours in the woods I have no idea, but it did. And I knew it was me it was after not anyone else, I mean yes I spend most of my time with Lindsey and Matt so logically I shouldn't have jumped to the conclusion that it was after me, but neither of them seemed to notice the almost constant malevolent presence. And even when I would finally climb into bed at night I could still often feel the presence. I didn't realize until later that I never felt it there during the day but only at night. I was never really frightened by this presence, mealy curious, and slightly unnerved, but I never had the courage to take charge and confront whatever it was, I had seen horror movies I wasn't about to get chopped to bits and be the first to die at the hands of an unknown assailant, leaving my friends and dorm mates to fight whatever it was. No if my life was going to be a horror movie I was the one who had to live, I was the virgin after all! I have a system for predicting horror movies, the good nice girl, lives or dies an altruistic death to save her companions. That was one of Lindsey, Matt and I's favorite pass times, renting horror films and picking characters, to be us and seeing how long we lived in the movie. There I go again off on a very random tangent. As I said, I felt a presence, one that I could not explain and none of my friends felt it, and this is when my story really begins.


	3. Chapter 3

That's when the gifts started coming. I got the first on January 20th. There wasan email saying that I have a package in the mail room of my dorm. I did have an addiction to buying things on ebay, but I was fairly certain that the last thing that I ordered had came a few weeks before.

"A package?" Lindsey asked, Lindsey was a very pretty girl, with long light brown hair, that had thick blond chunks in it and on either side of her head two of the blond chunks had hot pink coon tails stripes dyed in. She had a short and pointy nose, her face was longer and she had very welcoming hazel eyes , " What did you order now?" She asked as we let Matt into the building and walked to the front desk.

"Nothing, that's why I'm all confused," I said showing the RA my student ID. He disappeared for a moment and when he reappeared he was carrying a large and thin packed rapped in brown paper.

"Who's it from?" Lindsey asked. As the three of us sat down on one of the couches in the lobby of James hall.

"There's not a return address," I said ripping the paper off the package and handed it to Matt who was seated on my right. The box was light pink and looked as if it had came from one of the high end lingerie stores. I lifted the pink lid and sat it on the leather ottoman. I lifted the tissue paper off of the contents of the box. I lifted the long satin night gown out of the box it was a pale cream color with a slit up to the thigh . The neck line was trimmed in lace, and little pearls. Then there was a matching chiffon robe trimmed in lace and pearls, when I lifted them both out a small piece of heavy parchment like paper fell to the floor.

"Who do you know who's name that starts with an L?" Matt asked

"What?" I asked taking the note from his hand. It read, ' Enjoy- L' it was written in very beautiful script hand writing, "No one. Do you know anyone Lindsey?" The stupidity of my question hit me at once.

She gave me a funny look , and said " Besides me , No. I know no guys who's names start with L."

The gifts continued, and always with a note that was signed 'L'. Next came a set of black satin sheets, and black velvet comforter. Then expensive wines that Lindsey and I didn't savor but drank to get drunk. Then the expensive jewelry, that Lindsey and I took to have apprized at the Jeweler up town . They were real diamonds not cubic zirconium. Then there was the expensive perfumes, a 1,000 dollars for an ounce. There were designer dresses that fit perfectly. There were Louis Vatton , Channle and Coach hand bags. Then the shoes, oh god the shoes, The shoes were the only thing I had no qualms about wearing or using because I am a shoe girl. Whoever this was Lindsey and I concluded, he was over 21, and rich, he was probably ugly, possibly a metosexual as he had such good taste in things, but a sugar daddy named 'Larry' was noting to snub you nose at, just hope that he didn't want me to sleep with him if he was ugly . I was soon the object of every girls jealousy. How was it that I caught the attention of some rich guy. The RAs knew me as the package girl, and Lindsey and Matt made bets on what gift I would get next.

Then one night in April everything was to change. It started out as a normal evening, okay perhaps not, Lindsey and I were both sober. We decided to do our usual, go to the video store and rent a horror movie or three. As soon as we stepped out in to the cool spring air I felt it, the presence. I felt more unnerved than I ever had before. I turned around and around trying to see into the shadows that I knew that whatever it was, it was in them, and by now I was getting sick of it and I wanted it to stop. I again said nothing to Lindsey and Matt about it. And so the night went on as usual. A trip to the video store. A trip to Wal-mart. Then back to the dorm to watch the movie. I don't even remember what it was, that is how common place this was. How absolutely normal this night began. Then at about one, we took our usual evening ending trip to speedway to get hot dogs. Oh how I love speedway hot dogs. On mine is always chili sauce, cheese, and onions. And so we sat outside on out beloved 'stoop' even thought it wasn't a stoop it was the area around the stoop. And me feeling the presence, it seemed that it was getting bolder it felt ever closer and ever stronger. But I pushed it to the back of my mind as we three sat chain smoking cigarettes, and on occasion trading them with each other, for a different taste as we each smoked a different kind. Me Marlboro reds, Lindsey Marlboro 27's and then Matt, cheap ass peach cigarillos. It was a peaceful night, and we sat arguing about random and stupid topics, watching a heavy fog roll in.

"No! Angel is so much better than Buffy!" Matt said to me, our arguments about our two favorite tv shows it was one of our favorite things to bicker about.

"Okay Angel is good, but it in my opinion aimed more for guys than it is girls, I am a girl so I am going to say Buffy!" I yelled back laughing.

"Yeah but I mean come on Buffy went to shit during the fifth season cause of the cunt Dawn." Matt told me.

"Yes I hated Dawn, but the fifth season is my favorite, that and the second. And don't tell me that Conner wasn't as big of a cunt on Angel. He shouldn't have even been there!"

"That's not the point!"

"Your reasons for liking Buffy better are stupid."

"That and Amber is in love with Spike," Lindsey said looking at me.

"Ewww Amber! He's so skinny Angel is so much hotter!" Matt said laughing.

"You are the Gayest straight guy we'll ever meet aren't you?" I asked him smiling.

"But don't ever question I am straight!" He said smiling at me, it was one of those moments where I thought I actually stood a chance with him, where our eyes locked and we would smile little smiles at each other leaving Lindsey completely out in the cold. Just then a branch from the tree that hung over out heads fell on the brick right before us, if had been a few feet off it probably would have killed us. And then I felt the presence, it was so close, I felt that all I needed to do was reach out and I could touch it.

"Holey fucking shit!" Matt shouted, " How the hell did that happen?"

"Donno."

"Its not even windy!"

"That could have killed us!" Matt said before we descended into a comfortable silence. I knew what was on my mind. I needed to tell my friends what I had been feeling, I could no longer keep it to myself. I wrestled with myself for a few moments, before I said anything.

"You guys are going to think I'm insane," I began.

"No I know Lindsey nothing you say can make you seem insane."

"I've told you all my crazy shit Amber."

"I think I've been being followed."

"By what?"

"Haven't the foggiest."

"So you have a stalker?"

"No, no its not like that, its like an almost constant presence."

"Like a ghost?"

" I don't know I've never, let me see your lighter, seen a ghost before," I said lighting a cigarette.

"Is it like the feeling you get when your being watched?" Lindsey asked truly concerned.

"Only so much stronger."

"How long have you felt like this?" she asked.

"God now you sound like a shrink."

Ignoring Michael I said, " Since January."

"You started getting the gifts in January."

"Do you think that it could be Larry?" I asked referring to my secret admirer.

"Then Larry must be pretty damn slick and creepier than we thought."

"Okay Amber," Matt began, "How do you know its you they're creeping? I mean you spend 90% of your time with Lindsey and 70% of you time with me, how do you know they're aren't following one of us?"

"Don't you think that you would feel it?" I asked.

"Maybe your just more sensitive than either of us, that must come with the tracking skills for hunting down escaped slaves that you southerners have." Mattl always like to make jokes about me being from the south, and making crude jokes about me being raciest, and saying that we lost the war and I needed to get over it. But he also called me his southern belle, and that always made me smile.

"Matt, I'm being serious!"

"I know you are, I'm sorry, Paly. "

"Its okay, I forgive you," I said play pouting.

"Hey its getting late its almost two," Matt began.

"That is not late you know we don't go to bed until like four or five!"

"I have a test that I have to go to in the morning!" He said as he jumped off the ledge on which we sat.

"You suck!" Lindsey said hitting her cigarette.

"Not as much as you or your mom, god Lindsey your mom loves to suck my dick!" Matt also loved to make your mom jokes about Lindsey's mom, they had an on going joke that Matt was the father of Lindsey's 14 year old brother. Matt called him, 'Josh, the bastard child,' but her little brothers name was Andrew.

"Wanna have another cigarette and then head to bed? I might actually make it to class tomorrow at 10 if I go to bed now!" Lindsey said with a hint of sarcasm and a hint of hopefulness.

"Text me tomorrow!" Matt said as he headed down the path to his car, " Amber, call me if Larry gets to creepy!" There was sarcasm in that statement, but a vary serious undertone, that said to me, 'if you get scared, I really do want you to call me, I'll be back here in a second to kick Larry's ass.'

"Shut up!" I called after him.

"Byyyee!" He called to us from around the corner.

"Bye!" Lindsey and I yelled in unison.

"You believe me don't you?" I asked as I lit my cigarette.

"Of course I do!"

The two of us walked back up the stairs, at a snail's pace to our third floor home, and parted ways, "Good night, Lindsey!" I said.

"Text me when you get up!"

"How about you text me when you either get back from class or wake up," I said laughing.

"Night!" She called as I walked down my hallway.

I unlocked the door to my room, room 331. I tossed my lanyard with my keys and money pouch on the top of the dresser. I flipped on the over head light and watched as it flicker on, "Hello ghost!" I said, as I was fairly certain I had a ghost in my room, as odd things were always happening. I lived in a triple, but I only had one roommate. Sarah had taken to never being in the room, and tonight was no different. She had a boy toy and she spent all of her time with him. Though I thanked god, because I don't think that I could have dealt, with them screwing in the bed beneath me all night long. How she managed to have a boy toy I did not know, she wasn't even that pretty, She had stringy short dirty blond hair and her face looked like a horse wearing thick round glasses, But I was always nice to her, I always gave her a shot or a beer when we were drinking in my room. Besides she was better than, thebitch, and the blond without personality, who were my ex roommates and they had basically kicked me out of my room. It was times like those that I thank god for Lindsey, she and her roommates allowed me to keep my things in their room and to sleep on their floor until I found a new room where I was welcome. I glanced at the clock on the microwave, and its digital green numbers read, 2:07. Stepping on the heels of my silver slip on shoes I kicked them off paying no mind to where they actually went. I had a terrible habit of running the air conditioner and leaving the window wide open. I slipped off my purple hoodie leaving it lie on the floor, as I walked to the window. I leaned out it feeling the cool breeze on my face. The fog that had rolled in was unnaturally thick. I felt it again, the presence, I knew it was down there. If the fog hadn't been so supernaturally think I knew I could have seen it, "Your losing your mind Amber!" I told myself as I pulled myself away from the window. I yawned, and tucked my cell phone underneath my pillow, before turning to my dresser to pull out my pajamas. It was then when I opened the drawer, something caught my eye, well rather I felt it's softness on my fingers and I pulled it to the top. It was the first gift that 'Larry' had sent me, the beautiful silk and lace night gown. I always thought if I wore it I would feel dirty. But it was too beautiful not to at least try on. I slipped my pants off as they pooled around my feet, and I stepped out of them. I lifted off my tie-dye tee shirt, unsnapped my bra, I slipped the beautiful night gown over my head, the silk caressing my skin, never had I owned something as luxurious as this. It seemed as if it had been made just for me, the way it cupped my breasts, and hugged my hips and then flowed gently and elegantly away from my body. It was then when I realized that this night gown was not meant for sleeping in it was meant for seducing. And a dark thrill of excitement went through me that I could not explain. I then pulled on the matching robe, and how it too fit me perfectly completing the ensemble. I spun myself around watching myself in the mirror. I who never thought I was pretty felt like a dark temptress, masking myself in the white of the silk. My dark hair fell over my shoulders ever so slightly curling on the ends in the humidity of the early spring. I smiled in spite myself. Maybe I did want to meet this mystery, 'L' guy. Maybe his name wasn't lame like Larry, perhaps is was something like Leopold or Leonardo, something romantic like that. Because in this night gown I felt as if it could have only been picked out by someone with such a name like Leopold, not someone a skuzzy as a Larry might be. Who ever had picked this out for me had a refined taste, that no Larry could have. I slipped off the robe and lay it carefully on my chair as if I thought I could break it if I weren't gentile. I then climbed onto my top bunk, I pulled the black velvet comforter and silk sheet back and slid myself in-between them, and my head hit my pillow and I fell fast asleep.

I thought that it was a text that had woke me, then I thought that it was school bell tolling three, but no it was something else. It was if I could hear someone calling my name, but there was no sound other than that of the air conditioner. I sat up looking around my room, as if that would bring me an answer, of course it didn't. I felt an unearthly draw to outside. I then knew it was the presence. I knew then that I was about to find out what or who it was, and part of me thought that the presence just might be my mysterious 'L'. Perhaps both mysteries were about to be solved. I felt the dark thrill of excitement again, as I climbed carefully off of my bed. I stepped down on the soft carpet, it was if my senses were in hyper drive, I never really noticed how the carpet felt beneath feet, but my mind was some where else. I slipped on the matching robe and left my room. I didn't bother to put shoes on or even pick up my keys, so as soon as my door shut I was locked out. But it didn't seem to matter , I had one thing on my mind. The steps in the stair well were cold, and rough as I made each step slowly and deliberately.

The dewy grass was cold on my feet as I stepped off of the path. I had to look like a ghost, coming out of the fog, me being so pale and my white night gown. I had never felt the presence as strong as I did then. I felt it drawing me to it. All apprehension was gone, the excitement and curiosity mounting. When I came to the big oak tree in the middle of the green I stopped, "Who are you?" I asked, my voice full of curiosity. I was straining my eyes, I thought that I saw some movement from behind the oak tree, but it was far too dark and foggy for me to see, "Who are you?" I asked again a hint of irritation in my voice.

Then in my ear I heard a soft voice with a French accent say, "My name is Lestat de Lioncourt." The smooth voice sent a chill down my spine, making my hairs stand on end. I let a soft gasp of surprise escape my lips, when I turned to face the voice. I found myself face to face with the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life. His skin was pale almost white, he had the most piercing, but beautiful cobalt blue eyes I had ever seen, they seemed to pull me in and threaten to not let me go. This Lestat, had almost shoulder length thick curly blond hair, a very narrow nose and perfectly shaped lips, that could have been a bit too big for his face if he wasn't so beautiful. Lestat? I knew that I had heard that name before. Lestat, that started with an L didn't it?

"But you already know who I am don't you?" I whispered examining his face carefully with questioning eyes.

"Yes," he whispered, "Amber," he reached out and caressed my cheek, with the back of his hand. I wasn't expecting his touch to be cold. In that one second all my suspicions and fears of what this… man was seemed to be confirmed. Even thought I knew that it could not be possible.

"You're the one who has been following me aren't you?" I asked, already knowing the answer, but not sure I wanted to hear it and confirm it.

He nodded, "You felt me?" He asked.

"Yes but how, how did I never see you or hear you? Why? Why me?" I stammered.

"I have my ways and reasons," he said softly.

I knew I should be frightened, but I wasn't I was completely enthralled with this beautiful creature. "Perhaps," I began, bringing my little warm hand to his that rested on my cheek, "Instead I should have asked _what _are you."

"I think you know the answer to that, _ma Cherie,_" he whispered to me.

My knees were shaking, this beautiful man, that I had an unexplainable desire for, was speaking French to me . I cocked my head to the side contemplating him and what he had just said, " _Non,"_ I whispered, _"C'est impossible,_" I said closing my eyes, as I reached out and caressed his cheek with my hand, it was cold and smooth beneath my warm questioning fingers.

"_Que me pensez-vous suis-vous_ ?" he asked.

"_Vous ne pouvez pas être. Ce n'est pas possible," _I whispered shaking my head, refusing to believe what I knew had to be true.

"Is it?" he asked in English again, as he walked around me coming to a stop behind me his hand on my waist, his touch felt so sensual, it sent a shock thru my body.

As I began to speak he pressed his nose to my neck, " Yes," I whispered my voice shaking, "This is a dream."

Turning me to face him he asked, "A dream or a nightmare, mon Cherie?"

My lips only inches from his, I could feel them quivering begging, pleading for his kiss. I felt and heard myself let out a ragged breath. I could feel the lust and desire for him pounding through my veins ,"I'm not sure," I answered, his pale lips almost touching mine.

He brushed my ebony hair off of my shoulders and way from my neck, "Perhaps this will help you decide," he said bringing his lips to my neck, I felt his teeth graze my flesh. Then I felt a slow and sharp pain where his cold lips had been, and I felt the warmth of what must have been my blood on my skin. I let out a soft moan, not sure whether or not I was liking this and if I was did that make me a masochist, I think my last thought before I fainted or passed out was, 'best nightmare ever.'


	4. Chapter 4

I awoke to someone pounding on my door, the early afternoon sun light spilling into the room. I heard Sarah from the ground answering the door, "Hi," she said to who was ever at the door, "Amber, its Lindsey," she said to me.

I rolled over to look at my best friend, " What's with not answering my texts," She said before she got a good look at me.

"Lindsey I think I'm dying," because at this point I thought I was, I felt slightly feverish, weak and my head was killing me, " And I think I'm having hallucinations."

"Amber," she said, "You don't look so well."

"Of course," I said scrambling out of bed, almost falling when I hit the floor, Sarah and Lindsey both made a movement to help steady me, but I held out my hand to signal I was alright, "Lestat," I said stumbling to my desk, pulling out _Interview with the Vampire_.

"Lestat is that your secret admirer? How did you find that out? And why wasn't I informed before this?"

" Yes, yes, I think that its him, but we're going to go to the clinic and find out if I'm slightly anemic."

"Amber I thought that you hated doctors and needles and now you want to go willingly? And Amber why would you be anemic?" Lindsey asked taking the Book out of my hand.

" I have to prove to myself I'm not nuts, and if I am anemic then we're going to the Catholic church up town."

"Oh, no, " Lindsey said, " I ain't stepping foot in there. You know my feelings for the Catholic Church, they brain washed me as a child! What's with the book?" I stumbled over to the mirror and tilted my neck to the right, and there it was, two tiny scabbed over holes in my neck, " Oh shit Amber."

I looked at Lindsey's pretty face she stood there stunned with the look that said, 'If I wasn't standing here and I didn't know you I'd think that you were insane or a liar. Sarah too had been watching this interaction between the two of us.

"The vampire Lestat?" She asked.

"You can't tell anyone about this," I said truing to her, the look in my eye must have been that of a crazed wild beast.

"I believe in vampires, I am a witch after all," she said.

"No, no, no this is real that sexy bastard bit me, but no one is going to believe me cause I sound like a raving lunatic."

"Amber I believe you," Lindsey said, "You gotta get dressed, and we'll go to the clinic, and if you need to get holy water, I'll go with you."

"But holy water doesn't affect them, or at least that's what Louis said in Interview," Sarah said with a know it all voice.

"Okay I do remember that from the book," Lindsey said looking at me.

"I know I know, I'm kinda banking on Louis being either mistaken or a liar," I said as I pulled a pair of jeans and then a tee shirt on. Then wrapping one of the thin and colorful scarves to cover the marks on my neck.

Within the hour we were sitting in the university clinic that provided free health services to students. There was a rather large crowd of sniffling co-eds, wanting something for the common cold.

"If I'm not sick now I will be," I muttered to Lindsey as I picked up a three month old issue of Cosmo.

"So tell me again what happened?" Lindsey said, this would make the third time we had had this conversation. And so I did I told her everything that had happened the night before, " So he was sexy?"

"Yes."

"And he looked like how Louis described him in the book?"

"Yes."

"So, if you happen to meet Louis tonight give him my number…Wait! Amber, I thought you wanted to be a vampire?"

" In theory, its fun to talk about, especially with you. 'Oh if I were a vampire I'd kill Erika and Kelsey, there'd be a James Hall massacre. But in reality this is insanity, and besides I don't know if he just wants to eat me."

"Okay I don't think that he'll just eat you, I mean, if that was all he wanted with you then why didn't he just do that when he first saw you, and he obviously didn't take as much blood from you as he did Louis, the night before he turned him or as much blood as Louis took from Claudia."

"So do you think that he'll come back to me and ask me if I want to be a vampire tonight?"

"That seems to be his MO. But he seems to like you buying you all those gifts maybe you can pull a Bella and be his mortal lover," When she suggested this I burst out laughing, everyone in the waiting room must have thought I was mad.

"They get married, and have a kid," I said looking sideways at Lindsey, " And he turns her eventually."

"Thanks for ruining the books for me."

"Real vampires can't have kids," I said looking at her as if our conversation didn't sound insane to an outsider.

"Angel and Darla did," Lindsey said.

"Okay, but that was plotted by the powers that be, so Jasmine could be born on earth. So it can't happen without intervention. And real vampires don't sparkle."

"No but they can go out in sun light."

"Not according to Louis. But Dracula could go in the sun, I won't argue there."

When the nurse called my name, the pair of us stood up and followed her, god I was dreading this, I hate needles. We followed the red haired nurse in purple scrubs to the examination room. She did the usual, blood pressure, which was a little low, my temperature was a little high, and then she told me the doctor would be with me shortly.

There was the two knocks on the door, then in walked a tall and handsome dark haired doctor, "Hello," he began, he sounded tired and more than a little bored," I take it that you need a pregnancy test and your friend is here to hold your hand?"

I did not like his bluntness and tone, although I knew it was something that I would have said, " Um no, I need you to test me for anemia, and my best friend is here to hold my hand cause I really don't like needles, and I need the results of the test like 10 minutes ago."

"That's a very direct request," He began.

"Yeah so do it, I'm really not in the mood for you to be pussy footing around with me," I had never been more serious about anything.

I don't think that I need to tell you what its like to have your blood drawn , except I was this close to backing out and running screaming from the clinic. Of course I couldn't watch, it wasn't that the blood make me nauseous it was the needle in my arm. The thought of it even now makes me nauseous. Again Lindsey proved how true of a friend she was, she too hated needles, but she sat there and held my hand. With a band-aid on my arm, we sat waiting, waiting to find out if I was insane or not. Another set of two knocks on the door and he reappeared, " I don't know how you knew it but you are just a little anemic." My heart and stomach plummeted, I think that I was hoping that I was just crazy. Lindsey and I looked at each other, and took off at the same time, " Your welcome!" the doctor called after me.


	5. Chapter 5

I had a plan for tonight, I was going to take the holy water that we had gotten from the catholic church and put it in a squirt gun, if that didn't work, then I had a gallon of gasoline, and Lindsey's roommates blowtorch. Okay that's a whole other story but to make it short, Lindsey's l roommate , brought a blowtorch back to school this quarter, for what reason we do not know, When we asked her why she had brought it she said, ' who knows what kind of shenanigans it might come in handy for.' It became one of the things we made fun of her for, but it was coming in handy now. But the plan, I was to wait in my room for him to appear shoot him with the squirt gun , and if that didn't work then, when he came to kill or to make me a vampire, I pour the gas on him and light the blow torch.

"So," Lindsey said, as she stood at my door saying ' good night and text me' for perhaps the last time, " What are you going to do if the whole , gas and blow torch thing doesn't work? I mean are you going to let him make you a vampire?"

"Well if the only two choices are be dinner and be a vampire, I'm gonna pick the second one!"

"Well you know if you do end up a vampire you have a willing first victim here, and I swear if you don't make me a vampire I'll be so pissed and I'll know how to kill you!"

"You know if I become a vampire I'll make you one."

"I love you Amber. You better not die!"

"I love you too Lindsey! And I'm not going to die."

"Night! And Text me!"

"Night! You know I will!" We hugged, and I watched her walk down the hall way, at least my best friend wasn't going to die tonight. I shut the door and turned around, I restrained a scream when I saw Lestat standing there he was dressed in tight dark jeans what looked like a black tee shirt and a black leather jacket . I put my finger on the little plastic trigger of the water gun and prepared to destroy the beautiful face, by pouring vampire hydrochloric acid on it. I blinked and there he was inches from my face.

"Bonsoir, Ma Charie." I then pulled the trigger on the water gun sending two little jets of water on to his face, he flinched and for a second I thought that I had won, but in a heartbeat, I hadn't even seen him move, he had me by the wrists pinned to the wall, the little water gun laying useless on the floor. I was certain this was how I was going to die, before I might have had a chance of at least becoming a vampire, but I had done a great job and pissed him off, but then he did something I hadn't expected, he laughed, baring his fighting fangs he laughed. 'Great' I thought, ' he's going to laugh at me before he eats me, " Charie, I take it that you do not read?"

'What' was the first thing that came to my mind I blinked, and tried to regain some composure before I spoke as I didn't want my voice to shake, " Oh no I… I read a lot, I was just hoping that Louis was mistaken or a liar."

And the vampire continued to laugh, he laughed as I might, when Lindsey and I recalled a practically funny drunken adventure like the night she had punched and gave Greg from the second floor a bloody nose, the hardy laugh you laugh when you find something truly hysterical, I was soon to learn that he was prone to these laughing fits, " Oh charie, Louis is a liar, but about that he did not lie."

"Oh so a stake through the heart does work?" I asked, that was the first time I ever got the look. The look that he always gives me when I'm being facetious, his one side of his lips turns down, while the other turns up like he's trying not to laugh , and one eye brow gets raised, it's a very cute expression but at this point I was concerned that I was talking to an insane vampire.

" No, not about that either," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice. He released my wrists but still kept me almost pinned to the door.

" What did he lie about?" my curiosity getting the best of me.

"Me. I was not the monster he made me out to be."

I was shocked that this guy who had just bit me the night before was going to spout some bull shit about him not being a monster , oh this was rich, "Oh so you didn't kill innocent people, and turn a little girl into a vampire, and you didn't treat your father like crap when he was on his death bed?"

His handsome face darkened a bit, " I did hunt mostly among evil doers Louis just wasn't aware of this, as for the other two things you have brought against me , need explanation."

I watched him for a second before I spoke, " Because I am a firm believer that there are two sides to every event, I want to hear your side to the events in _Interview with the Vampire_." But I honestly did. I have this bad thing with curiosity, I was always the kid asking the questions that went well beyond what we were studying in class, in fact, in my high school chemistry class, I had asked questions that had stumped the teacher, it was simply because I could not stand not knowing. And my curiosity, had often gotten me in to trouble. However I couldn't believe what I was saying , I was inviting him to tell me a story?

Lestat smiled, it wasn't a frightening smile, it was a smile as if he had gotten what he wanted, "Really?"

I nodded, " As long as you sit over there and I sit over here," I said turning on the light, how extraordinarily pail he looked under the florescence light .

"You know," he began as he pulled the green disc chair out for me, then taking a seat on the futon across from me, "If I wanted you dead you would already be cheire."

God, why did he have to speak in French, it was a little too much for me to handle I was fighting the urge to tell him to 'suck my blood.' " Oh I know, I'll just keep Monsieur blowtorch by my side, just in case you get peckish , and do please speak in English."

"Pourqui?" He asked smirking.

" Pourqui? parce que, vous Français parlant est… est.." I stammered I wasn't sure how you said sexy in French, but I thought my answer was good enough.

"Is sexy? I got that I can smell that you like it."

"Thanks creeper!"

The look again, " You are quite feisty. I like it."

"Shouldn't you know that from stocking me for the past few months?"

"I did, I just didn't know how you would react to me. And I just wanted you to know I liked the feistiness."

"So are you going to tell me the story?"


	6. Chapter 6

"So are you going to tell me the story?"

"Of course, I think my story really begins in the last few decades before the revolution ," he began.

"No, no," I said, "If you're going to tell me your story I want it all, from the beginning."

He smiled showing his fangs, "You're not afraid of me?"

I paused before I answered, looking into myself for a moment, I wasn't scared, the feeling was like the one I had before I got my tattoo, I knew I should be afraid, but I wasn't, I was excited, and that unnerved me about myself, " I should be but I'm not."

"Then you're quite brave," he said with a smile.

"Or stupid, you see I have a theory, that stupidity and bravery are often confused. Bravery is not the lack of fear but the knowledge that something is more important than that fear. Stupidity is the lack of fear."

"A very wise, statement," he said.

"Story!" I said slightly impatiently

"As you'll find out during my tale, in my younger years all I wanted was a mortal to just talk to, and…"

"Well start talking," I said, was not about to let him get me off guard . And so he launched in to his tale. From the first word I was hooked. I do not think it nesacery to tell you a the story that you have undoubtedly read in his own book, by the point in his tale when he and Nickolas had reached Paris, there was a knock on my door, the pizza I had ordered had arrived. Before I could even stand, Lestat was at the door, paying the pizza boy. Lestat smiled, that fangy smile , and handed me the box, " You didn't have to do that," I said, " Do you want a slice?" I asked.

He smiled again, " We don't eat."

"Oh that sucks for you," I said realizing what I said, "I'm sorry that wasn't very nice of me."

"Well we don't eat pizza at any rate. And don't feel bad, I do not crave food," With those words I felt a pang of pity for him, I loved food, how could you go eternity without letting the warm and cheesy taste of pizza grace your tong.

And so he sat back down and continued his tale. I had never been so enthralled with a story told orally before. His words were like magic, I could see, the people of which he spoke so clearly in my mind. How by four in the morning, I was completely amerced in his magical world, like I had been when I had read Louis tale. I knew then that I disliked Armand even more than I did after having read _Interview_, and I wanted to meet Gabrielle for myself. But by four, it seemed he had scarcely began his tale when he said, " Ma Charie, I must end this for tonight."

"What? I need to know what happens !" I said protesting.

"Do not worry your pretty little head one bit about hearing the end. I will tell you the rest tomorrow night."

"Really?"

"Yes, now you should get some sleep, mon cher. Jusqu'à demain soir," He said kissing my hand I was shocked and amazed at his gentlemen demeanor . I blinked and he was gone. Oh god I hated how he did that. I slipped in to my bed, my head swimming with Vampires in silk and lace, and Paris in prerevolutionary France, how I only wished I could have seen him dressed in that manner. How the 18th century had always excited me. That night I dreamed of me in a low necked gown with a huge hoop skirt, and Lestat dressed in a velvet waste coat, his long blond hair tied in a silk bow, and oh how we danced to the music of the harpsichord.


	7. Chapter 7

"And he just left?" Lindsey asked, as we sat on the grass bathing ourselves in the sun. And watching the athletes who lived in our dorm toss the foot ball back and forth shirtless.

"Yep," I said lowering my sun glasses, to get a better look at the well defined pecks of our schools quarterback.

"I wish I didn't have to go home this weekend, I want to meet him, now!"

"I know, but at least I have something to do while you're gone… talk to a vampire."

"So are we not telling Matt about this?" She asked looking at me seriously.

"Nah, I guess not. I don't know how he'll react."

"I can tell you the answer to that, he'll act like its cool, joke about it but he'll be secretly pissed and worried as shit about you."

"And he'll be gone too this weekend?"

"Yep he is my one and only ride home."

"You really think that he'll be upset?" I asked slightly confused. I didn't know that Matt was that protective over me. Lindsey yes but me?

" Yeah I do. But we should at least tell him that you met your secret admire and his name is Lestat , not Larry."

"I feel like I'm living in a day dream, you know?"

"Yeah, but Amber you have to promise me," her voice was now deathly serious, I nodded for her to continue, " you won't forget about me."

"Linds, you don't have to worry about that."

And so that afternoon, I waved good bye to my best friends, as they pulled out of the parking lot behind our building. Again I felt that dark thrill of excitement; I couldn't wait to see him! And I couldn't understand that in myself. I ran back up to the my room excitement coursing through my veins . And when I got there, Sarah was sitting on her boy toys lap in my green disc chair, " Oh!" was the first word out of my mouth.

"You're alive!" Sarah said excitedly.

"Do you think that he'll come back tonight?" Jon the boy toy asked.

"Erm…" I asked, my anger rising.

"I would very much like to meet him!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, I hate to sound like a bitch, but I'm having a guy friend from home coming up this weekend, and since you have another room to go to, I was wondering if you know I could have this one."

"Lestat! I want to meet Lestat!" Sarah said excitedly.

Why I was saying what I was, I had no idea but I felt as if I wanted Lestat and all the knowledge of him to be mine and mine alone, and I felt it was my secret to share, and I did not want to share it with her " Lestat? Isn't he that guy from _Interview with the Vampire _?"

"Fine, be a bitch, Lets go Jon," Sarah said getting up and grabbing her backpack. Good Riddance as far as I was concerned. I had four hours before sunset, I quickly grabbed all of my shower things, threw on my robe and ran to the showers. Oh how I hated shower at school. I hated how the showers were usually dirty, I hated that I had to wear shoes, how were my feet to get clean? I hated how there was a draft sometimes, and no matter how hot I got the water the draft still managed to make part of me cold. Besides that I was just a bath person to begin with. I found my usual stall empty and hurried with my normal shower routine and all I could think about was what I would ware for him. I was acting like a giddy school girl, something I thought I was well past. By sun set I had gone through more than enough out fits, and finally settled on my favorite pair of going out jeans, a green silk camisole and little white sweater over it. I was actually trying for this vampire I couldn't get it.

"Bonsoir," I heard the sweet voice from behind me.

"Hello Lestat," I said turning to look at the figure standing in front of my open window.

" You look lovely, tonight," he told me, and do you know what I did? I blushed! I blushed! And so it went the same as the night before. And again he promised that he would return Saturday, and finish his story then. And so he did return Saturday night, and when he left that night I felt something for him, and in the back of my mind I knew what it was, but I couldn't be feeling this at least not for a Vampire, an evil vampire at that! Again he promised he would come again Sunday night, and I couldn't help but smile.


	8. Chapter 8

Sundays were always the day that my mother came and took me out to lunch, that Sunday we chose one of the more quiet and upscale Italian restaurants up town. My mother ordered the spaghetti, and me the chicken parmesan. Mother was on the quiet side today, and so was I as my mind was filled with thoughts of vampires. I have always been told I look like my mother, but I never saw it. She has short sandy brown hair, her face like mine was round, I did have her nose, but her lips are thinner than and longer than mine. She had once been exceptionally thin, then after she quit smoking she gained weight, and now she is a plump middle aged woman, who I loved dearly, and told everything to.

"So mom, I found out who my secret admirer is."

"Really?" she asked leaning across the table her hazel eyes full of curiosity.

"When I tell you, you aren't going to believe me and your going to think I finally lost it. "

"Who is it? Harry Potter?" she asked laughing. I loved my mother, but there she was making fun of my first true love the fictional Harry Potter.

"No mom, his name doesn't start with L anyways."

"Lupin then?" She asked.

"Actually you're a bit closer, I mean, since Lupin is a werewolf."

"Amber does this guy think that he's a werewolf, because if he does it might be a little dangerous."

"His name is Lestat, mother," I said hoping that she would recall the name.

"A vampire? He thinks he's a vampire?" My mother asked her eyes darkening.

"I think its more of a _is_ a vampire."

"Amber, did he bite you and draw blood? Because if he did I want you to go to the hospital right this instant!"

"No, mother," I lied, " He hasn't bitten me."

"Then what makes you think that he's a vampire?" She asked.

"Well he told me a pretty convincing story, his skin is like ice and he has fangs."

"Oh Amber, I don't know if I like the idea of you dating a Goth kid."

"Have you ever heard of a blond haired Goth, who buys a random girl a Louis Vittion hand bags. Aren't Goths against all that name brand stuff?"

"Oh I suppose your right," She paused, "Amber I know you have always taken your flights of Fancy but don't you think that you might just be taking this a little too far?"

"Mom, I'm not crazy, I'm not."

"Alright, Amber," she said, her face contorted with worry, "You know," she began again, " What I think it means when you become a vampire."

"That you're damned," my voice didn't sound like mine own, and my words sickened me.

"Yes."

"But mother," I said playing devil's advocate, " Would I really be damned? I mean I'm not calling on Satan to make me immortal, I'm just drinking blood after all mine has been take from me. You don't always have a choice."

"Oh Amber, you really believe this don't you?" She said almost reigned to let my over active imagination run its course until I realized I was being a fool, then as if she would give it one last chance she spoke again, I could almost see the thought process in her eyes, "Perhaps Amber, you've just fallen victim to this whole Twilight mania."

"First of all Lestat does not sparkle," my mother rolled her eyes, "Secondly you know I was into vampires long before Twilight was ever published," which was true, I had been sucked into the buffyverse from _Welcome to the Hellmouth _when I was only seven, from there it had just grown into a general interest, and that is what had lead me to _Interview with the Vampire_, "And lastly, you know my feelings toward Twilight, we've had this conversation before."

"Amber, I just worry about you sometimes."

"I Know, but you really shouldn't."

"Amber, I don't know whether I should pray its your over active imagination, or its true."

"Why?" I asked pushing the ice around in my glass as we still waited on our food.

"Because if its your imagination then, your not at risk of becoming damned and dying, but it makes me worry about your mental health, but them if he is really a vampire, then I have to worry about your immortal soul, and not your mental health."

"Oh mother," I said becoming slightly agitated, ever since my mother had had her close calls with death she had become annoyingly spiritual.

"What time are Lindsey and Matt getting back?" Mother asked, he face still tense, however she was trying to change the subject.

"I donno, prolly pretty late, I mean when I went home with Lindsey one weekend we didn't get back until three but then we did make a lot of pit stops."

"Like what?"

"Oh well the giant truck stop, that has a big screen tv and couches for the truck drivers, and a telephone booth that Lindsey swears is a time travel device. Then we went to Taco Bell, and then to a gas station to get gas, then thru the car wash, then to an abandoned train, and then we drove around for an hour trying to find the big glowing cross that sits on the hill in the next town over."

"Oh, Amber," My mother said shaking her head


	9. Chapter 9

I felt bad for having worried my mother. I, in one conversation caused her to completely question the sanity of her only child. But I had always told my mother everything. I had always been open and honest with her, with the exception of the few months I had gone through my partying phase. And then after it was over I had come clean about everything. By the time I arrived back in my room, it was almost sunset. As I drew on my eyeliner, a sudden thought came to me, 'Why in the hell was I letting a known killer in to my room?' And then a sickening thought came over me, 'Was I under his thrall?' I wasn't even certain what 'thrall' was. I recalled that Buffy had once been under Dracula's thrall in an episode, and she had come to him when he called. Then in the actual Dracula didn't Mina and Lucy go to Dracula when he had called, and was that not what had happened to me the night I first met Lestat? So I did something that any self-respecting lazy college girl of my generation would do…I googled that shit. And what I got was:

_**thrall **__(throl)__**n**__.: a semi-hypnotic state brought on by interaction with the vampire which results in our heightened susceptibility to suggestion from the vampire_.

Was I hypnotized? I didn't feel like I was, but then I had never been hypnotized before. I slapped myself as if that would snap me out of just in case I was under his thrall. But I felt no different, my cheek just burned now. But hadn't I asked him to tell me the story of my own free will? I had. I had wanted to know the story. Unless the handsome bastard had put the idea in my head that I wanted to hear the story. This was exactly why I hated men, even mortal ones. They were always seeking to take away my freedom. Nate had sought to tame and make a nonbeliever in love, love him, and he had succeeded. And now Lestat sought to take away my very free will. Was he even putting what I was feeling for him in my head? That was a thought I could not bear. I sat for a while contemplating what I could believe and what I couldn't.

"Bonsoir!" came a familiar, It caused me to jump. I slammed my lap top closed as I didn't want him to see what had been reading, "Did I frighten you ma cher?"

"Am I under your thrall?" I said jumping up out of my chair. Lestat chuckled, and took a step forward. I took one backward.

"No more than I am under yours," He said with a smile I rolled my eyes, as he sat down on the futon crossing his legs and leaning his right forearm on the arm of the futon. An air of arrogance about him. But somehow it was sensual everything about him was, even the arrogance.

I glared at him, "Bullshit! I know you vampires have your Jedi mind tricks!"

"I cannot control your thoughts," I continued to glair.

"Come and sit by me," he said, patting the seat next to him on the futon. I looked at it for a moment, rolled my eyes, picked up the blowtorch and reluctantly, seated myself next to him. All the while getting the look from Lestat, "So do you know what story I want to hear tonight?" He asked looking at me.

"What?"

"Yours."

"I thought you could read minds," I said happy not to talk about my past, I had no intention of crying in front him, no very few people have seen me cry.

"Didn't I tell you ma belle, I cannot read your thoughts. They are locked to me. Why I do not know. But count yourself lucky it was that, that kept me interested, and quite possibly saved you and your friends lives," those last words chilled me to the bone he continued, "Oh don't get me wrong I wanted you from the moment I first laid eyes on you, " he said darkly, frightening me even more, " It was your mysterious locked mind that intrigued me."

"So its just me, who's thoughts you cannot read?"

"Yes, you are the only mortal who's thoughts are locked to me."

"Then the gifts, how did you know what to get me?"

"Its not all good looks and great hair," he said with a wicked fangy smile, " Its brains too, I read your friends thoughts," I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued, " I don't need to be able to read your thoughts to be able to tell what was going to come out of those pretty lips next," he said brushing them with his index finger, "Your friends think noting bad of you. Lindsey is a true friend and no ill words about you have ever passed her lips."

"Really?"

Lestat nodded, "Now do you know what I found curious?" I shook my head, "That your friends know nothing substantial about you before they met you. Why is that?"

"Maybe I don't want them to know. Maybe I don't want to remember."

"I want to know. I told you my story," he said softly.

I closed my eyes and looked away from him, before I launched into my story, I told him the same tale that I have related you earlier. However adding some childhood shenanigans that I didn't want to be in print. I told him of my elementary school antics with Hanna, Shelly, Beth and Emily. How once upon a time one of my dear friends had us all convinced that she was a werewolf. And how even then I 'chose' not to become a werewolf. But we had lost interest by the time we were convinced we were going to Hogwarts. Or how we tried to contact Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in a galaxy far far away. It was when I was telling these stories, I realized something about myself, I was always seeking to escape reality and believe in something. However when I turned eleven and the owl never came, I started to stop believing, the world started to lose its magic. There were also some details that I chose to mute, not leave out entirely just glossing over. Nate for example. Rule number one with guys :Don't talk about an ex with another guy! Why I was bringing this in to effect with Lestat I didn't know. All I knew was I didn't want him to think that I still had any feelings for Nate. My eyes filled with tears when I told him of how I held my Emily as she died. And that was where my story of my life before college ended. We sat in a comfortable silence, Lestat was the who broke the silence, " You've lost so much in your life."

"You've lost much more than I have."

"Yes but how much older am I than you?"

"I don't think that matters."

"No I don't suppose it does," Lestat said wistfully, "One thing that I have learned is that time does not heal all wounds."

"No," I said, " Its like vicoden, it only numbs the pain."

"Another wise statement."

"Do you think that we'll ever see them again, those who we've lost?"

"You believe it don't you?"

"The best past of believe is the lie."

"Cleaver, but you don't believe that."

"I believe in god yes."

"Why?"

" I have two reasons," I began.

"What the new testament and the old?" he asked his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Hardly, I am not a heavily religious person, as you will learn about me, but I believe that there is something more in this universe than just us. One because there are too many coincidences for there not to be a plan, I mean we just happen to be the perfect distance from the sun to support life? And we just have the right atmospheric composition to support life. I donno it just seems too perfect. And then there is another reason, one night during my doubter phase, I asked go to prove to me that he was real, I asked for sign, that night I had one the most terrifying nightmares of my life, the devil himself was after me, I was in a corner of my room and I called on god to help me, and then there was a light and I woke up, and I knew that everything was okay and there was a god."

"At least your reasoning is slightly more logical than 'The Bible tells me so'," Lestat said trying hard not to laugh at you.

"Just because crucifixes and holy water doesn't effect you doesn't mean that there is no god."

"It doesn't?" he asked voice heavy with sarcasm eye brows raised.

"No, it just means that you are not of the devil."

"I kill. Do you not think that killing is evil? And is the devil not evil?"

He had a point, I believed in God thus I had to believe in Satan. And if God was good then wasn't Satan evil? But didn't this creatures very existence prove that there was something more? Didn't Lestat's story of how Vampires came into existence prove it? Wasn't it proven, by the demon entering Akasha and Enkil prove that there was something else beside the natural? It disgusted me to think that this creature no more knew his place on this earth than I did, " We never find out do we?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Cause if there is nothing then we're gone, and we don't have the consciousness to know there is nothing, and if there is something, I don't suppose we really care."

"Maybe that is hell," Lestat said thoughtfully, "nothing."

I found the conversation appalling. I hate to think about things like this. When I thought too hard about things like this I often felt a huge weight pressing on my chest. I could feel it coming. That feeling alone was enough to make me ask for immortality. I felt the pressure and the shortness of breath coming. Lestat, must have sensed this and having some compassion, he changed the subject, " Ma Cher, do you want to hear my brilliant plan?"

"And what would that be?" I asked moderately suspicious of the handsome vampire.

"I'm going to become a rock star!" he said becoming excited like a small child when he was about to tell you how he was going to dig a hole to china.

"What?" I asked, At first I didn't understand, what he had said. I thought that it had been a French word that I wasn't familiar with. Then I realized what he had said.

"The story I told you, I'm going to have published, in response to Louis's memoirs. Actually its on its way to the publisher right now. And I have a musicians we've formed a band, I have songs written, and they are currently in New Orleans writing the music for the songs."

"Why?"

"Why, ma cher? There are lots of reasons, I want to find Louis. I want to draw out the ancients, ones older than Marius. I want to be known. To vampires and mortals alike. I want to be the new evil!"

"Vanity," I said softly .

"Oui."

"What about the rules? The vampire rules?"

"Well as you know I've never been one for rules, hence why I'm sitting here next to you. Besides Louis already betrayed my secrets the world already knows about me, and Armand."

"Yes but you'd be betraying Marius and Gabrielle."

"Yes but this is my plan to be with them!"

"A rock star," I said smiling.

"Oui, Cherie," He said taking my hand into his, my heart leapt. His hand may have been cold but his touch was so gentle and soft , and he rubbed the side of my thumb with his, even though it was a small gesture, however it was so unbelievably sensual. I was falling for him. I was falling for something dark and dangerous. Perhaps that was what was so alluring about it. Danger, adventure and a rock star, what could be more seductive. Whether he knew it or not, he was seducing me and I was terrified and excited.

"When do you get out of school?" he asked suddenly.

"Two weeks."

"I want to ask a favor of you."

"What is it?"

"Will you ask you dear friend Lindsey if she would ever consider photographing my band?"

"Are you only asking her because she is my friend?"

"No," he said with a smile, " I've seen her work. She does amazing things with light. I'm very pale, I need someone who understands lighting and how to make me not look ill."

"I'll ask her."

"Thank you belle," he said kissing my hand, my heart was pounding, it was such a simple gesture but god what it did to me, " Ah it is getting late, and I have yet to feed tonight," he said standing, and pulling me with him.

"Happy hunting," I said with a sly smile.

"Merci, bonne nuit, ma cher," he said kissing my forehead.

"Bonne nuit," I said breathlessly. I blinked and he was gone. I was left with a half goody smile on my face. Tomorrow I would tell Lindsey of Lestat's offer, and of my… magical weekend. I only hopped that her weekend was half as good as mine.


	10. Chapter 10

Hell yeah I'll be his photographer!" Lindsey said excitedly as we sat down in our econ class Monday afternoon.

"Really?" I asked taking out my notebook.

"Yeah! And you said he likes my work?" Lindsey said proudly.

"Yep, but I mean you are a great photographer."

"Well thank you."

"Who are you guys talking about?" Lindsey's roommate asked as she sat down on the other side of me despite the fact the desk was left handed and she was right handed.

"Amber's new boy toy," Lindsey said with a wink to me.

"Amber did you finally meet your secret admirer?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me about him!"

"What's to tell," I thought to myself, 'he's a two hundred year old vampire who is sexy as hell, and he has a rock band, "tall, blond hair, blue eyes, gorgeous, in a band."

"You need to bring him by the room some time!"

"I donno if he will, cause he's a little shy," I lied.

"Great Gondi, is here," Lindsey whispered to me as our Indian teacher walked in, we never could understand him, however he was a nice guy, letting me transfer in late to the class. And so we commenced to try and learn something.

It was Lindsey who got a gift that night. When she opened the box she screamed, " Oh my god Amber!"

"What?" Matt and I asked at the same time.

"This camera is the most expensive on the market, there is every single lends I could ever need even some that I don't even know what do. And this bag my god its Italian leather."

"Why don't I get any presents?" Matt asked, the pair of us ignored him.

"We getting a movie or not?" I asked looking at my two friends.

"Yeah lets go," Matt said grabbing his car keys.

So we had devised a new schedule, I would hang out with my friends earlier in the night and then around two or three I would go back to my room and find Lestat sitting on the futon, or laying in my bed , or watching my tv or listing to my I-pod. He was particularly fond of the nights in which I would come in to the room plastered. He liked popping up behind me, and then in front of me just to confuse me and make me dizzy. I usually wound up falling on my ass and becoming quite angry with him. Then one night he said, " I want to meet Lindsey, you should tell her to come over."

"Really?" I asked looking at him strangely, as I picked up my cell phone and began to text her.

"Yes, if she is that dear of a friend to you, and she is going to be my photographer then I think it is time that she met me."

"If you say so."

I few moments later, there was a knock on my door, I pulled the door open, and her mumbling about me dragging her out of bed ended. Lindsey was speechless, " Bonjour, Je suis Lestat," he said taking her hand and kissing it. Lindsey made a noise that sounded like 'eep.'

"I'm Lindsey and I don't speak French," she said her eyes wide as if for a second she had not believed me about him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you finally Amber does talk about you quite often you know."

"Only good things I hope."

"Always."

"So about my proposition, will you be my official photographer?"

"Yeah I'd love to do it!"

"Good," Lestat said smiling, " I feel terrible, that I had Amber wake you up just have you come down here and meet me, perhaps I should let you go back to bed now, if you have class in the morning."

"Yeah, I am sleepy. Night," Lindsey said as if she were in a daze as she walked out of the room.

"My you do have quite an effect on all girls," I said.

"Jealous?" he asked.

"Hardly."

I grew to love our two or three hours a night together. A gentleman he was. He never once tried anything. I knew this guy game all too well, but I decided that it would be best to just play along. I was the kind of girl who liked to take things slow anyways almost too slow, but that was the pace at which I was comfortable. And I knew each night when I would first see him when my heart leaped and each night when my heart ached because of his leaving that I could be getting myself into a very dangerous situation. It was all well and good until he decided to ask me to join him for eternity just how was I going to respond to that?

And soon it was finals week. The most dreaded week of the quarter for a college student. There was always someone down in the lobby with computers and books and coffee spread all over the tables and floors. There were always people high on Adderall. Actually Lindsey took one every night of finals week. I hated Adderall, it always gave me the worst nervous feeling, a feeling I was used to getting with out any medication. I had my last final on Wednesday, but I wasn't leaving until Saturday. Thursday night I was planning on spending with Lestat, and Friday night I was all Lindsey and Matt's.

"He is so beautiful!" Lindsey said to me as we sat trying to type our final papers.

"God tell me about it."

"Amber are you falling for him?" Matt asked looking up from his notes there was a tone in his voice that I had never heard before I and I couldn't quite place it.

"No, Amber Waters , does not fall in love," I said firmly.

"I think that's a lie," Matt said looking at me from over his glasses, with those pretty green eyes of his.

"Why do you think that?"

"Cause didn't you have that Nate kid once upon a time didn't you love him?"

"His name is the Fat Ass Walrus, and it doesn't matter if I loved him I learned my lesson from him though," I always played the hard core bitch when it came to talking about love and affection. I knew that Matt knew I wasn't nearly as cold as I pretended to be.

"Right, so what are you going to do over the summer when you can't see you_ Lestat, " _Matt said with a hint of disdain on the last word.

"Stop it Matt, your just being jealous. Cause Lestat is the most beautiful man in the world," Lindsey said winking at me.

"I highly doubt that," Matt said rolling his eyes.

"Matt are you alright you seem a little testy tonight."

"Yeah, maybe its just cause I've been up two days straight on Adderall and I still haven't finished the goddamn paper, I have a test in," He looked at his cell phone, "six hours and I have to listen to you two talk about Amber's fucking rich ass secret Admire that I've never met who said he was going to be in a band and make it big, bull shit . Amber I think you're being gullible and stupid."

"Matt," I said, " Looking at him over the edge of my book slightly concerned, and more than a little hurt.

"I'm sorry Paly. I'm just cranky."

"Its okay I forgive you, your just trying to be a good friend an protect me from myself."

"Yeah yeah what ever," he said looking back at his computer.

"I'll see you guys in the morning I know you'll still be up," I said closing my book and laptop.

"Sure you don't want an Adderall?" Lindsey asked.

"Yeah every time I take them I almost get sick so no thanks."


End file.
